Drawing Near to God.

Drawing Near to God. Exodus 16:9-15.

The complaint department is usually full. In our day people have become expert complainers. If it’s not about family, it’s about money. If it’s not about money, then it is about how someone soiled your day. No one is beyond criticism; however, criticism is different than a complaint.

The critic shares a way to make something better in life. However, a complaint is a byproduct of fear and we are instructed by scriptures not to fear for God is in control of every situation. Therefore, many people think they are criticizing; however, they are complaining and this becomes very annoying to God and others.

Moses was very annoyed with the Children of Israel. God had saved them from the Egyptian army. When they needed water God provided. With such great display of God’s ability to save, these complained to Moses about food.

It was not criticism, nor was it constructive; their complaints were destructive as they tried to blame Moses for leading them into starvation.

Moses had had all he could take from the miserable people and turned the message over to Aaron. Moses was going to sit back and watch; probably saving himself from being like them.

Then Moses spoke to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your complaints.’” Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’” Exodus 16:9-12(NKJV)

They keys to their attitudes were the distance of their hearts. To draw near to God is to put aside other things and to focus in prayer where you will receive understanding of whom God is, what significance an event has, and how great is our Lord.

Many people suffer in their situations complaining about how bad things are. The situation causes them grief and grief causes them to focus on the problem. They draw nearer to their problem and compound their grief.

Drawing near to the Lord is a way to see the problem against the Lord God who created the Universe. In this, the size of the problem shrinks and the less burdensome it becomes.

Yet to these fortunate few the size of the Lord was revealed before their eyes. The cloud that hovered over them began to glow and the glow turned in to an increasingly bright light.

The dessert lit up like no sunset could ever do and the gloriousness of God was in plain sight. Though shrouded in a cloud God was making himself know in their presence.

God has done the same in the lives of people throughout time. Those who take their problems, their discomforts, and their sicknesses, to the Lord in prayer, find his presence shinning in their heart.

It starts faint as a small light; but through worship and reading His word, meaning grows and so does God’s presence in their life. People go from dwelling in darkness to living with the presence of the Lord in their heart; where their fears, the threats, and the discomfort flee away.

When people draw close to the Lord, life changes. This when you and others will see the glory of the Lord in the amazing answers to prayer and the astonishing clarity of what good an event has in their life. The Glory of the Lord shines on the face of His people as His dwelling place is in their heart.

So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. Exodus 16:13-15(NKJV)

Their problems were over; the quail were so thick in the camp that grabbing a few to roast was easy. No hunting, no great effort, God had supplied all their needs. That night, Israel was blessed regardless of their bad attitudes and accusing statements.

The next morning was like waking after an evening’s snow; the ground was covered with bread. However, it looked different and they stood staring at the bread in dismay.

“What is it? What do you do with it?” God had given them a resource that they did not understand and that was enough to make Moses break his silence and he comically answered, “This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.”

I believe that Moses found joy in seeing the people sheepishly looking at the bread in wonderment; for now they were not questioning him, they were questioning God.

In every situation of life there is purpose. Not a single person dies without their being a back story, a purpose for their life, and a meaning in their death. God is at work in every aspect of life.

This being recognized, we can learn and understand his ways if we draw close to Him through worship, prayer, fellowship, and Bible study.

If we look at a situation and complain, we are focusing our attention away from seeing God’s plan, God’s ability, and God’s greatness. This is where many lose their focus on God altogether and too many have passed without knowing God personally.

Remember, it all starts with focusing on discomfort, which grows into complaining. If you let focusing on problems stay in your life it can be a lifestyle that you take to the grave; where you will forever be separate from the glory of the Lord.

Passover or Communion?

Passover or Communion? 1Exodus 12:43-51.

The road to Succoth was packed with travelers escaping the slavery of Rameses. God told them to go and changed the heart of the Pharaoh to release them.

These people obeyed God and were faithful to their instruction; but they knew nothing about where they were going. They were leaving their birthplace of Egypt and traveling to a new land. They were like teenagers heading out to face the world that they had only heard stories of.

Prior to the first plague their knowledge of God was passed down to them in the stories of their ancestors Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel.

If the Children of Israel were to survive they must have faith in God which is belief in the unseen. Generation after generation spoke of the great faith of the patriarchs and they proclaimed God’s deliverance; but many died before seeing the mighty hand of God.

From the time God made the promise to Abraham, that his family would be a great nation, it had been four hundred thirty years. It was this generation that would see the power of God as God would strike that land of Egypt with the terrible plagues leading up to the release of the Children of Israel from slavery.

This generation would learn to know the power of God and learn how to respect God as God. They would enter a new world, a world of great blessing for the faithful and terrible consequences to the unbeliever.

How to live godly lives had to come from instruction and the first instruction was how to prepare the Passover meal. Though they received the instruction once, while in Egypt; now they would receive it again, having escaped Egypt. As we study we must remember only the faithful would benefit from the observance of Passover.

And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. Exodus 12:43-47(NKJV)

The Passover was to be an annual event. It was to remember the importance of keeping the ordinances of God; which brought life to those who obeyed and death to those who did not.

Most important to God was that the Passover was not to become a social event that unbelievers were invited to. It was first for the Hebrew people and second it was for those who converted to their belief and dedicated their life to God by being circumcised; a symbol of obedience to God.

This was to be strictly adhered to; even the meat was to stay inside their house so they would not be tempted to share it, for to let an unworthy person eat it would be disrespectful to God.

In addition, the lamb had to be prepared and ate in such a manor not a single bone was to break. This fact draws us to another story in the Bible taught to Christians by Jesus Christ Himself.

John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God; Jesus was unblemished by sin and chosen by God to be a sacrifice for many.

Later we read that Jesus was crucified and our sin placed upon Him by God; He was the sacrificial lamb and His blood spilled for us. We are also told that not a bone on His body was broken.

On the Passover, Jesus met for the last supper with His disciples and instituted a new ordinance which is a completion and perfection of the Passover feast.

Jesus took bread and broke it, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Then he took a challis of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Which caused the disciples to question why is He doing this?

They too were like young adults being introduced to a new world. He also told them that He would not do this again with them until they joined Him in His kingdom.

This ritual was instituted by Jesus to ensure that they church would observe more than one Passover a year; but that it might continue in churches as a regular observance of the significance of His death.

Inviting Jesus into your heart covers the threshold of your heart with His blood, protecting you from the Angel of Death and the bread is symbolic of the unleavened bread for our lives are to be swept clean of sin.

And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.” Exodus 12:48-49(NKJV)

Like the Passover, to partake of the elements of communion is for only those who have committed their lives to God and have had their hearts circumcised. To take communion unworthily is to eat and drink damnation to your soul.

It began with the Passover in Egypt and was to be kept through all generations so they may recognize the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. Now it exists as communion for all who believe.

As with the Children of Israel, Christians are to follow the ordinances of God with accuracy; taking their role in life and the performance of their obligations to God serious.

We need forgiveness, we need a covering for our sin, and we need to respect the God who brought that to us.

Thus all the children of Israel did; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. And it came to pass, on that very same day, that the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies. Exodus 12:50-51(NKJV)

No longer were they slaves, they became the people of God who would enter into a new land and become not only the people of God, but an army to fight for what is right.

The same continues today if you have made Christ your savior. As Christians we keep ourselves according to God’s instructions. We do those things we are instructed to do and we gladly allow those who would join themselves to us, into our congregations.

We partake of communion in remembrance of what the perfect sacrifice means for our life and we await entering the new land, the land of promise which is heaven; the place where we can dwell with God in perfection for eternity.

When you do not bow before the Lord.

When you do not bow before the Lord. Exodus 10:11-20.

The Pharaoh was trying to cut a deal with God. He told Moses that the men could go to the desert and worship the Lord, but the children and the women had to stay. This attempt to negotiate came from an arrogant, hard, heart.

People continually try to negotiate with God and never stop to consider that it is willful disobedience. When God asks your life to be lived a certain way and we interject our own thoughts into His plan for our life, there can be nothing but trouble ahead.

Trouble comes our way not to hurt us, but that we might stop trying to bargain with God. An example are couples who are physically together before matrimony; they do so by defying the order God has set. “God knows we love each other,” they say and yet so many of these couples never make it to marriage.

Because of a lose attitude towards intimacy, the world has been bent by such practices where men and women freely join themselves to each other for one night. This immorality which started with simple justifications has cause trouble in the world.

Like a plague sweeping the planet, immorality is accepted and we have men with men, women with women, and diseases that hurt many people.

When a person learns that you cannot cut deals with God to make your sin right for a moment, then their live begins to improve; until then, their hearts grows cold, hard, and becomes void of understanding.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has left.” Exodus 10:11(NKJV)

Pharaoh saw Moses come and bring the plagues that caused Egypt to boil. Every time he left the plagues would stop. It is possible that by agreeing to let all the men go to the dessert to worship, Pharaoh saw an opportunity to divide the Israelites and could easily send his army to kill Moses and thin out the Israelite male population making them less of a threat.

People who justify their actions do so because they inwardly plot how to get their own way. However, God saw through the Pharaoh’s ways and carried out a plague that would be most extreme.

So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt.

They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt. Exodus 10:12-15 (NKJV)

Egypt had seen the common sand storms that would blow dust miles into the air, darkening the skies, and skewing their vision. Yet as this storm came, it rained on them Locusts.

Grasshoppers were everywhere so much so that none could escape from the barrage of the crawly winged predators. Eating everything in their path, the locusts stripped every morsel of food from the land once rich with plenty.

This meant life was going to become extremely difficult. Food would have to be imported. Man power would be stretched thin and the damage to their lives and lifestyles would be great.

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that He may take away from me this death only.”

So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. And the LORD turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go. Exodus 10:16-20 (NKJV)

The Pharaoh was astonished by the impacted from the event. The collateral damage from the Locusts would affect Egyptian life for years to come and Pharaoh knew that he had to get this to stop.

The Pharaoh knew the right words to say; “I have sinned against the LORD,” Forgive me my sin,” “Entreat your God.” Pharaoh was brought to his knees. He faced being responsible for this problem. Like a person facing a life threatening situation, Pharaoh now wanted to pray.

As Moses, entreated the Lord and the wind shifted blowing all the locust away, Pharaoh became angry. It may have started with being angry towards himself; yet it turned towards memories of his daughter finding this baby floating in the river.

Memories traveled through time as he watched this Hebrew boy grow up in the palace and ended with the present day situation.

Pharaoh saw himself the problem and regretted not killing Moses when he had a chance. Pharaoh was not going to bow from his throne to another king, God, or Moses. He resented having to beg and felt weak inside.

God sees the heart and Pharaoh’s heart was filled with regret, anger, and hatred. Therefore, God did not meet the Pharaoh at the place of his repentance. God kept His distance and that distance allowed Pharaoh’s heart to become harder.

Sin separates us from God. The further from God a person goes, the harder their heart gets. When a person chooses to have distance, God grants the distance and thus their heart hardens.

In our life, distance can come into our relationship with God if we will not live according to His plan. It should not be our plan for our lives, but His plan for our life.

We should not seek to compromise His plan so that we can live our plan too. God is to be our LORD and we should bow to Him..isHisHIs

How to Reach a Hard Hearted Person.

How to Reach a Hard Hearted Person. Exodus 10:1-11.

There was a particular work that God was doing in Egypt and in this work, God was introducing Himself to the Egyptian people and His own chosen people, Israel.

God was showing the struggle of a man with sin. He was showing how the heart can be a cold hard object, controlling a man’s destiny. God was also showing that when a man chooses to not answer the call of God, God will back away and with distance a heart gets harder.

God called His work “hardening a person’s heart.” You see, it is better a person to experience a breaking of their heart, while alive, than when it is too late and they are dead.

Now the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” Exodus 10:1-2(NKJV)

Every work of God in our life and the lives around us are to be stories that we relay to others. The great works of God need to be on our lips as well as these accounts recorded in the scriptures.

God has done great things so that people might hear the truth and give their heart to the Lord. Like Moses, we are told to “Go” and tell those who need salvation.

The Apostle Paul told Christians, For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”Romans 10:13-15(NKJV)

So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field. They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh. Exodus 10:3-6(NKJV)

Knowing how to deliver a message to a person is central to reaching that person. Here Moses was told what to say and he did it well. He said his piece and then turned his back on the Pharaoh and left.

For some people that is just what it takes. If you stay and try to persuade them, it gives the person a chance to miss treat you or to throw in some double talk logic. Pharaoh was not going to get the chance.

Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” Exodus 10:7(NKJV)

The only people Pharaoh could talk with were his servants. They saw the dilemma for what it was. God was not asking Pharaoh to become a holy man dedicated to the service of God. God only wanted Pharaoh to release his grip on the people, willingly.

So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God. Who are the ones that are going?” And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.” Then he said to them, “The LORD had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. Exodus 10:8-10(NKJV)

A hard heart is hard to break. I have met so many Christians with hard hearted people in their lives.

Women whose husbands refuse to come to church with the family. Children placed between parents, one who attends church and the other who does not honor God at all. Yet the Lord continues His work and tries to reach those hard hearted people.

Pharaoh allowed them to go; but he tweaked the plan. The men could go, but the children, the women, and the flocks, were to stay in Egypt. This is an amazing justification of compliance born in the mind of the cold hearted Pharaoh.

What made Pharaoh think that he could give God only an inch? Did he really think that he could appease God by granting this small concession? This shows that the heart directly controls ones intellect and therefore, hard hearted people will continue to make stupid mistakes when holding back from submitting to God.

So it goes for a marriage unequally yoked. One believes in God and the other grants them concessions. Each has their own beliefs and their actions follow. One has given their life to spiritual matters and the other works to bring compromise.

So it goes for the children caught in the struggle between adults who have different beliefs. With one parent their faith is enforced and with the other compromise is taught. The children are caught in a middle of what is right and what is wrong. Yet God watches with great concern.

God was patient with the Pharaoh. God continually answered each of Pharaoh’s decisions with an equal and opposite reaction. He did not concede to the Pharaoh; however, God responded with action to break the Pharaoh.

The same could happen in someone one witnessing to a hard hearted person. The hard hearted person should be told the truth of what their actions will get them, how God watches over His people, and what a person plants in their life will be their harvest also.

At times, this is the side of witnessing we must bring to people. For some, we must let them know that God wants to soften their heart and accept His ways. If they do not open their hearts to God, they choose to battle an unstoppable force; for God will not stop until he reaches a person.

A hard heart gets harder and should they die with a hard heart, they will face an eternity they have chosen for themselves. They can live with God in peace or face an angry God. This is the what witnessing is all about.

Did you Hear the Warning?

Did you Hear the Warning? Exodus 9:20-23.

Moses starred into the Pharaoh’s eyes as he announced God would rain down hail mixed with fire upon all of Egypt. Eye to eye, Moses told the Pharaoh people and livestock would be killed unless he Pharaoh the Children of Israel go.

Even though many people speak of God of as being crewel and mean, there is this fact; God gives advanced warning, God is not inhumane.

He who feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. But he who did not regard the word of the LORD left his servants and his livestock in the field. Exodus 9:20-21(NKJV)

Though people blame God, God does not blame people. Even though God created the judgment to come, God offers people a chance to escape judgment.

Through the plagues, befalling Egypt, people were opening their eyes to the truth that a supreme God exists. These believed the God of the Israelites’ was all powerful and they saw the proof unfold before them.

From children the Egyptians were told mythical stories about deities; yet never did a deity prove itself and now this warning was enough for them to take action, moving their herds and families inside.

Scoffers filled the street watching and mocking, shaking their heads in disapproval of those Egyptians who took the warning serious.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt—on man, on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt. Exodus 9:22-23(NKJV)

Since history was written from end to beginning, God is able to know of events before they happen. Because humans were given the right to choose who they will serve, God will only warn and never force a person to submit.

Our scriptures are filled with stories of people warned; some listened, yet some closed themselves off to the warnings.

The scriptures also contain warnings for us. We are told that there is coming a deceiving individual that will persuade many to follow a lie. This man of sin will have political control affecting commerce around the world.

This man is anti-Christ and though he will at first tolerate religions, he will create a world order demanding people become joined to his affiliation and receive a mark. These events mark the end of days.

Yet the end of days comes quickly for many. Death comes through violence and disease. Daily people die by accident or at the hand of another. No person knows the day or the hour that they will become accountable before God; however, all have been warned of their accountability for their eternity, their choice to choose, and the gift of salvation offered freely to all.

Just as hail and fire rained out of heaven when Moses stretched out his arms, a peace filled eternity opened for us when Christ reached out his arms and became obedient to death on the cross. God is willing to forgive our sin if we will come to Him.

This comparison to our day and our warning is almost the same. A pending judgment awaits our future and people are urged to get into safety. These are watched by people shaking their heads and scoffing at the thought of judgment.

The plan of God was written in the stars and this day in Egypt, the planets aligned and the needed conditions occurs to rain hail and fire down on Egypt crushing or burning all who did not heed the warning.

Perhaps there was a tail of a comment that struck the earth at the right place and the right time. Yet the fact stands, it was the right day and the right time known in advance by God.

Jesus said that in the end times there will be wars and rumors of wars, with earthquakes in diverse places; pestilence, sickness, and boundless trials will befall that generation. When we see these things we are to look up for our redemption draws nigh.

Even in the face of a terrible future, people can take hope in the salvation of the Lord. Those Egyptians that believed and went in to safety lived to see another day. Is that not a great message? Is that not a great hope?

The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. Hebrews 2:3(NKJV)

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid; believe in God and also in Jesus Christ for our future is sure.

Changing the way People Think.

Changing the way People Think. Exodus 9:13-35.

Pharaoh had invited some terrible plagues into the lives of his people. The whole time Pharaoh opened his heart when in these situations and as each one came to an end, Pharaoh returned to his ways.

Pharaoh was not going to stop the work on his treasure cities; in his mind the Israelite slaves were going to live in captivity and forever serve Egypt. The bad thing is that the Israelite people were getting used to it and had accepted the Egyptian domination.

However, God had a different plan and God would show all the people that He is merciful, loving, and strong.

It was with mercy that God gave the Pharaoh time to repent. It was with love God protected His people, and in strength God reigned down plagues giving the Pharaoh time to repent. With all these chance and emotional pleas from God, Pharaoh still turned his back on the truth.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me, for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. Exodus 9:1-14(NKJV)

Though Pharaoh continued to harden his heart; however, Pharaoh was changing. He had come a long way in accepting the reality of God. At one time Pharaoh did not even know there was a God, but the Pharaoh acknowledged Him now.

At one time, Pharaoh knew no fear, but now he did. Where once Pharaoh lashed out at the slaves, adding to their work, Pharaoh had lost focus and only focused on the face of Moses and Aaron. Where Pharaoh once had no respect for Moses and Aaron, know he did.

Many Christians think that evangelism is a short process; however, it takes a long time to reach most people. First they have to accept you, before they will accept your God. We must have interaction with them and be patient to let them go through the process of changing the way they think about God.

As you live around people, they watch you. They see your reverence to God and measure your life as if it were the only proof that there is a God. Like Pharaoh, it takes a lot for some people to finally put down their reservations.

Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. Exodus 9:15-16(NKJV)

This is a valid point that we must communicate when witnessing. If God were merciless, He could stop the world, ending existence for everyone. Or God could see the sin that a person commits and end their life; Yet God reaches out because He wants people to be a part of His plan.

So why does He not act the same way towards people today? Why does He not cast boils on the person that turned you down when you were witnessing to them? Could a commanded zit break out change their minds?

God loves people; He does not like to see them suffer. This story in Exodus is here so people could hear about it without having to experience it. God could do it; but He did it in Egypt so that we might not have to suffer today. His power has been made know throughout the earth and the story is enough; take it, or leave it.

As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go. Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. Therefore send now and gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die.”‘” Exodus 9:17-19(NKJV)

One other thing about our loving God is that He gives warnings. He warned Pharaoh of the plague about to happen; God even instructed them to get their herds inside.

This is one of the best attributes that God has; He warns us. The Bible is filled with warnings and prophesies; this is what makes it such a great tool. The Bible is a book that we should study.

I had a warning from God once. I was about 22 years old and my new bride and I were beginning our marriage going to church together. Though we were going to church and smiling on the outside, at home I carried on youthful sins; I was drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana in excess.

I wanted to acknowledge God in my life, but carry on the fun of my youth. My friends encouraged me, I had pounds of marijuana given to me for free, and I felt it was a good way of escape to relax.

One Sunday morning, sitting on my couch as my wife was in the bathroom getting ready for church, in my mind I heard an ultimatum that came from nowhere. “It’s either now, or never!”

I fully understood that there was no going forward with my relationship with God; it was either I abandon the sins of my youth or face being abandoned by God. I had my chances, God had been patient, but now it was time to put down those youthful ways.

I stood to my feet and said, “It’s now!” To which my wife said, “What are you talking about?” I told her that I felt God tell me that I needed to get right now or never. The next thing I heard from the bathroom was, “Ute oh.”

The rest of the morning was spent dumping tequila and whiskey bottles, getting all those things out of our house. It was followed by not letting my friends bring those things into my house. That was followed by my friends leaving me friendless; but I had the Lord.

Here the Pharaoh is receiving a great opportunity for the plague to come was going to rock Egypt. It would strike fear in their hearts and God announced it so He may not have to do it.

Is it not Great that God is willing to accept us the way we are and then He stands silently by bringing about change in our lives. His warnings and encouragements are precious and these ways of God should be shared with everyone we meet.

People think many bad things about God, about church, and about religion; that is why God sends this message to you. He wants you to make a difference and explain the chances He gives to people. His mercy, His love, and His patience should be upon our lips to all.

Zits? No, Boils!

Zits? No, Boils! Exodus 9:8-12.

God was serious with the Pharaoh of Egypt and the plagues that came upon all Egyptians were horrendous; however, God was still not reaching Pharaoh and God knew that Pharaoh was going to harden his heart each plague. Dose it strike a nerve in you that God knows not only our thoughts and intentions, but He knows what it will take to make us repent?

People who avoid the subject of God act as if they are shelter from God. They feel that if they close themselves off from God, the reality of God goes away; this could not be further from the truth.

God is continuously posting signs in a person’s life to call them to a relationship with Him. God calls all people to a relationship and for some of them it becomes a bad relationship.

So the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of ashes from a furnace, and let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh. And it will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.” Exodus:8-9(NKJV)

Though God will do whatever it takes to reach a person, not all bad things that happen in our lives are from God.

Because sin is in this world there is now crime, untruthfulness, and disease. The actions of others impact us regardless of the will of God; therefore, let not a person think God created the all bad things that happen.

Yet God is trying to reach out to people and does so in many different ways. For some knowing that they will meet their maker soon, gives them an opportunity they might not experience if life’s events were all good.

God has infinite wisdom and He knows each person internally. He knew that Pharaoh would need these tragedies in his life to make him let God’s people go and not just one, but a series of plagues. Here the Pharaoh is coming to his end, but still reluctant to let God’s people go.

Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses. Exodus 9:10-12 (NKJV)

I have always been curious of how quick it took for the sores to appear. I have had skin irritations that pop up over night; yet, I’m certain the text is telling us while Moses and Aaron stood there, the magicians had to leave because their sores came upon them immediately.

Soon the Pharaoh’s palace was filled with people coming to report the results of the plague. Yet this only made Pharaoh madder.

Have you ever been mad at God? The natural reaction is to say no; however, one day the Lord approached me in a prayer time and revel to my heart, I was mad at Him. Things in my life were not adding up the way I wanted it and I was blaming everyone else.

I was upset with a company I worked for; I was equally upset with my friends, my wife, and at situations that just kept popping up. When the Lord approached me on the subject, He spoke to my heart and said, “You are mad at me.”

It was then that I remembered a lesson I was taught. When you are pointing the finger at someone else, you have three fingers pointing back at yourself. We should consider ourselves as wrong when we blame others.

A pastor once told me that when I find myself upset with my wife, to pray to God and ask Him to change her or change me. Then if I do not like the way she acts, then I have only God to blame. He told me to stick my finger up at the Lord and blame Him.

In reverence to God, I could never do that and this is what my pastor was getting at. When we pray for relief, for others, and for situations to get better, we are committing them to God. If we get mad, in attitude, we are fingers pointing up God; blaming God for what upsets us.

God was right, I did not realize it at first, but by getting upset with the situations, I was getting upset with God; I was mad at God.

In our passage, Pharaoh was mad at God too and yet, before him stood Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron were the ones he could readily blame; they were the ones that he sneered at. Moses and Aaron could have taken this personal; but they had their eyes on God.

Because sin clouds issues in our life, it is very easy to walk around mad; however, we have to realize that God always has our best intentions in mind and no matter what is happening to us; He is allowing it for a reason.

These are words from a now, soft hearted person. I still get upset; however, God corrects me often. Yet a hard hearted person will close themselves off to such an idea and they choose to join the crowd and there they can find the Pharaoh.

Fear and Loathing in Egypt.

Fear and Loathing in Egypt. Exodus 8:1-15.

The Nile River had turned to blood and so had all the water no matter of where it was stored. Rivers, buckets, vases, and cups all were red with blood. However, this only loosened up the Pharaoh’s nerves, but his heart remained hard.

The blood was uncontrollable and for seven days Pharaoh’s routine was disrupted. The line of complaints streamed into the palace, with the question “What do we do?” Yet Pharaoh had no answers.

It was only after the plague was over and the water supply restored that Pharaoh went back to his old ways and hardened his heart against the demands of Moses’ God.

And the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your territory with frogs. So the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, into your bedroom, on your bed, into the houses of your servants, on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls. And the frogs shall come up on you, on your people, and on all your servants.”‘” Exodus 8:1-4(NKJV)

Frogs grew in the low lying areas of the Nile River. They were thought of as being fertile and having a resurrecting quality. Therefore, Frogs became an object of worship in Egypt.

A frog headed woman named Heget, was known to be a goddess of fertility. There was also some male frog gods with various mystical powers. Nun had power over the water, Amen had power over invisibility, Heh had powers that gave infinite life, and Kel ruled the darkness.

The water to blood phenomenon only lasted seven days, and the Egyptians worked to replenish their water supplies. Every bucket, cup, and basin, had to be rinsed and cleaned; therefore, there was a priority set to get things back into order.

However, the Pharaoh’s magicians were still trying to figure out how the trick of turning water into blood worked and they tailed Moses and Aaron to see what they would do next.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’” So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt. Exodus 8:5-7(NKJV)

Frogs came leaping from the Nile and from every water source throughout Egypt. As promised by God, Egypt was in chaos as the frogs made it into their most private of places. No quicker could you pick one up and throw it from you, another would take its place.

The hilarity in this is the magicians of the Pharaoh did the same trick, or perhaps they took credit and it seemed as if they too had completed the illusion. I would have liked to see the Pharaoh’s face when they announced that they too created frogs.

This plague became unbearable. The god’s they worshipped could not stop the frogs, the magicians could not stop the frogs, and there became no reason to even try to find a place free of frogs. There was only one alternative, live side by side with the frogs.

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the LORD that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”

And Moses said to Pharaoh, “Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only.” So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. And the frogs shall depart from you, from your houses, from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.” Exodus 8:8-11(NKJV)

Moses must have felt in such great control. The Pharaoh was broken; he wanted the plague to end and conceded to the demands of Moses. Hearing his succession to let the children of Israel go to worship was a great result and as Moses spoke his closing words, he left the Pharaoh with one that would echo in his mind through the night, “Tomorrow.”

Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh. And Moses cried out to the LORD concerning the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh. So the LORD did according to the word of Moses. And the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courtyards, and out of the fields. They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the LORD had said. Exodus 8:12-16(NKJV)

I have eaten frogs, but never had the pleasure to be around rotting flesh of masses of frogs. The glorious beautiful cities, and the beautiful palace of the king, stank with the rotting flesh of frogs.

Piles were everywhere and so was the smoke from the burning of the toads. What else can you do with a mound of toads; you would have to burn them. However, no matter the stench, they were gone and now the Pharaoh contemplated work stopping on his treasure cities.

Looking out at the construction and seeing it stopped was flashing through the Pharaoh’s mind. This stirred up fears of not getting the workers to return. Would they assemble together to find they can build their own cities and see the power and strength in their numbers? This was all too possible; the Pharaoh might lose his work force forever.

It was with these thoughts in mind, the Pharaoh slammed the door of his intelect and hardened his heart, taking back his submission to Moses’ God.

To challenge God is losing concept; however, people do this all the time. God’s word tells us how we are to live. We are to resist sin and do all to be holy, for God is holy. Yet because of greed, fear, and following our own pursuits, people quit on the thoughts of doing what is right, to do what they want.

Closing off God’s will for us become easier with each carnal way. As we accept our way over His, our hearts become harder and we lose the fear of God.

It was going to take more than this to break the Pharaoh and it is a shame that God must break open the hearts of people through circumstance. However, circumstances are not a punishment; they are an attempt to bring you back to submission to a God that loves you.

God knows that sin separates us from Him and God is doing everything to bridge that gap. He wants you to dwell with Him in the peace and happiness only He can bring. Therefore, we must resist greed, fear, and loathing for even the smallest of these can harden our hearts towards God.

Miracles Happen.

Miracles Happen. Exodus 7:8-24.

In a speech of encouragement, God told Moses that the Pharaoh viewed him with great respect. Moses was able to walk into the Pharaohs courts without being seized or put into jail; he was also able to walk away from heated conversation. Moses and Aaron were important because they represented all of the Children of Israel.

This had to make Moses feel more confident; however, Moses did not understand how large the plan of God was going to be for him. He did not know that God was going to work through his out stretched arms, making miracles, as if by magic, like no man had ever seen.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’” So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the LORD commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Exodus 7:8-10(NKJV)

The Pharaoh was no stranger to divinations. A person with a wicked heart will reach out for wicked opportunities. Pharaoh’s desire for magic created a section of his servants devoted to sorcery, witchcraft, and the creation of incantations, potions, and astrology.

Knowing that Pharaoh wanted such indulgences caused people to be creative in making illusions and seeking to find ways to manipulate the dark underworld.

There was a constant study to find ways to communicate to the dead and the mythologies created could only be supported by magical illusions, and narcotic delusion.

Pharaoh was regularly entertained by his magicians, sorcerers, and illusionists.

But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said. Exodus 7:11-13(NKJV)

To have access to illusions gave to the Pharaoh an heir of power and prestige. It was a force given honor and struck fear in the hearts of people. Yet here, the Pharaoh’s magic was upstaged and the greater illusionist was a Hebrew. To this Pharaoh became inflamed and he hardened his stance against Moses and the claim there was a supernatural God.

It stands to reason that Pharaoh often requested of his magicians the secrets behind their magic. “How did you do it?” is a common response to one watching a performance and with respect to the power of Pharaoh, secrets were divulged regularly.

Pharaoh treated this encounter as just another parlor trick and it hardened him knowing there was such magic that he did not know the answer to. Yet he thought it was a trick, just like the many that he was privileged to understand.

So the LORD said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand. And you shall say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness”; but indeed, until now you would not hear! Thus says the LORD: “By this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that are in the river shall die, the river shall stink, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink the water of the river.”‘” Exodus 7:14-18(NKJV)

It was a morning ritual; the Pharaoh would wake to be met my servants that would take care of his every need. He would dawn his clothing and head to the edge of the river, perhaps to bathe.

This time, looking up towards the banks, Pharaohs face turned from a grimace to a scowl as he saw Moses waiting at the riverside for Him. “What does he want now?” ran through Pharaoh’s mind as he heard Moses begin to speak.

With arms stretched out, Moses makes the statement to Pharaoh judging him for not listening and issuing the punishment of a river of blood.

If you think about it, the plague was fitting, for the river held the blood of the slaughtered Hebrew babies. Pharaoh had no respect for the river, the people, or the importance of water in their environment. Therefore, God would strike it and give him a new perspective.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’” And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the LORD commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. Exodus 7:19-21(NKJV)

Many people pass off this as a natural phenomenon. When water is starved of oxygen, microorganisms die and turn the tide to a reddish color; however, our scriptures use the word for actual blood.

Skeptics, Christian and non-Christian, run wide with passing off the scriptures as explainable phenomenon’s; however, this was the same attitude of the Pharaoh and we should not let it be ours.

There is no room for us to doubt the scriptures; they are the word of God and are to be taken literally. The power of God is greater than our own understanding and that honor must be given to God with reverence. To not give God the honor is to harden your heart like Pharaoh.

Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this. So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river. And seven days passed after the LORD had struck the river. Exodus 7:22-24(NKJV)

In our study of the book of Exodus, the miracles are just beginning and the judgments are too. We must believe in God and not try to explain away or dismiss the accounts. For one day, in the future, the world will see acts by God of greater magnitude and those watching need to know to take what the scriptures say as literal so they may soften their hearts and turn to God.

A Leader is Summonsed.

A Leader is Summonsed. Exodus 6:28 – 7:7.

After reading the genealogy of Moses, we return to the story just after the elders approached the Pharaoh asking that he let them go to the desert to sacrifice to their God.

At the prompting of Moses, these elders of the Children of Israel were convinced that God was their priority; however, Pharaoh worried about losing his labor force and refused to let them go.

Then, in attempt to shut them up forever, Pharaoh ordered harder labor upon the workforce; making them gather their own straw for the bricks they used to build the Pharaohs great cities. This caused so much grief the elders and all who understood the situation directed their grief towards Moses.

Moses was in between two giant nations and no one wanted his interference again; that is except for God.

And it came to pass, on the day the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt that the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the LORD. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.” But Moses said before the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh heed me?”Exodus 6:28-30(NKJV)

Moses felt abandoned; he had a mission from God and it failed as God said it would. However, Moses did not realize his own people would have been treated so badly.

Now God comes to Moses first with a reminder, “I am the LORD.” Never could there be a clearer declaration of the size of God compared to the size of the circumstance.

Moses knew this all too well; God was an unstoppable force, too big to contain, and by His lips all flesh is sustained. Moses recognized the greater danger was an angry God.

Yet Moses had very acceptable thoughts when facing the awesome force of God; he was not over confident in his self, or under confident in God. God could do the work without the intervention of Moses. He could strike the Pharaoh with a heart stopping command; however, God chose to use Moses.

Often when called to a task for God, a person will lack understanding of how the task can be completed given the limitations they have. Public speakers, who cannot speak wonder how anyone will listen. God could communicate far greater, but he has chose the servant to be a part of the process. It is a chance for us to share in His great work.

Many have been called into a place they feel uncomfortable or a place where the mission of God is vague. Yet after they faithfully go, they find their ability and how they fit into their calling. Moses was going to find this out; however, Moses approached the calling carefully, which is a good thing.

Tread light, oh servant of God; for it is possible to get yourself into places and snares God never intended for you.

So the LORD said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. Exodus 7:1-2(NKJV)

When God is beginning a great work in your life, He will build your confidence; you do not need to manufacture your own confidence. The servants need only to be willing to go.

When faced with trails the normal reaction is to think “What have I gotten myself into?” Yet, God saw Moses’ trials completely different. God told Moses, ” I have made you as God to Pharaoh.”

Pharaoh now had respect for Moses, because Moses was able to get the people to rally behind him. The elders approached Pharaoh, at the request of Moses, which made Moses an important man. Pharaoh knew that Moses had strength within the people, but how much strength, Pharaoh did not know.

God had changed the way Pharaoh viewed Moses and it was time to begin the battle with the Pharaoh who would choose to harden his own heart.

God wanted Moses and Aaron to demand the release of the Children of Israel and forewarned them that it would not be accepted well.

And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” Exodus 7:3-5(NKJV)

A heart is a two way road; with it you can find God. Yet with it you can stiffen your stance against God and that was the choice of Pharaoh. Pharaoh would choose power, slavery, and riches, over obedience.

It was because of his attitude; God would help Pharaoh in the process. God would harden Pharaoh’s heart further and God’s reason was that all of Egypt might know who God is.

We must remember that God loves the entire world and every person in it. Yet sin has darkened eyes, making people unable to see the truth. The Egyptians had many God’s and these God’s were selected by the Kings of Egypt.

Around these God’s were built fables, mysteries, and fear in the hearts of Egyptians. Often it was a way to control people and therefore, God was going to dethrone every false God and not only set His own people free, but give opportunity to set all the people free.

Then Moses and Aaron did so; just as the LORD commanded them, so they did. And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh. Exodus 7:6-7(NKJV)

I was recently reminded that God can call a person at whatever age He desires. Often we think of those selected to start ministries as those who are young and resilient. Yet God is calling people at any age He desires.

You might be eighty years old when God finally desires to use you. Therefore, we must live our lives ready to be called, to serve, and to obey the prompting of the Lord.

God calls people as servants; to lead others into the truth, the light, and the way.

Genealogical Influence.

Genealogical Influence. Exodus 6:14-27.

The writer of Exodus, Moses, takes the times to let his readers understand the players in this theater of commentary. Understanding who came from who helps us understand their devotion or lack of devotion as instilled in them by their parents, and their community.

From genealogies as these, people can trace their ancestor’s thoughts, where they came from, and often find actions or attitudes that lead to their ruin.

In addition, scriptural genealogies show us an overall story of God’s intervention into the lives of the people who would be the ancestors of the Messiah. In our story Moses was on his way to being a great deliverer of people and knowing his roots is most important.

Today people love to trace their genealogies so that they may understand more about themselves. What shaped their parents attitudes and spiritual life? We can even find out what food helped shape their physical lives and find heretical physical conditions that can affect us and our children.

Even beyond genealogies, in our cells, the human genome is becoming a most important information to understanding how our heritage effects us physically; however, it does not tell us how it effects us spiritually.

Those mentioned in this passage are they that will represent their families as elders. They are decision makers, carrying a voice for their people. As we study through the book of Exodus we will hear of these names and be able to see the attitudes and actions that changed futures. Thus it is important that we understand who they are.

These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben. Exodus 6:14(NKJV)

Ruben, whose mother was Leah, once picked birth stimulating mandrakes as a child to bring to his mother. This once cute boy would grew up to commit incest with one of his father’s concubines and receive a harsh benediction from his father before his father’s death.

“Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.” – Jacob

If you were to find your bloodline traced back to Ruben, you should be glad that new beginnings are possible through Jesus Christ who saves us. For the bloodline of Ruben would not excel and become turbulent.

And the sons of Simemon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. These are the families of Simemon. Exodus 6:15(NKJV)

Simemon was one of Jacobs’s sons who avenged the Shechemites for the defilement of his sister Leah.

Because Leah’s boy friend took her to bed before asking for her hand in marriage, Simeon helped kill all the Shechemite males and plunder their villages.

So upsetting was their actions, their father prophesied on his death bed denouncing their crimes and saying, “Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.”

If you could find your bloodline traced back to Simemon you would find warriors that fought in battles with heartless compassion. The family dispersed throughout all the tribes of Jacob and many died fighting.

These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were one hundred and thirty-seven. Exodus 6:16(NKJV)

Levi was the third son of Jacob and the brother who joined with Simemon at the slaughter of Shechem. His involvement disgraced his father and he too, received the cursed prophesy.

We know that his’ ancestors become the priests of the Israelite nation. Therefore, it is reasonable that Levi took his father’s rebuke to heart and raised his children in reverence knowing they were shadowed by the curse for their father’s sin.

Tracing you bloodline back to Levi, you would find a long line of Priests. Those who became involved in the lives of others helping them bury their dead, pass judgment on those who broke the law, and slaughtering animals for sacrifice.

Each person would live in turbulence and their lives would be not be easy. In this bloodline you will find Moses and Aaron and others who wanted the turbulence to stop by having a relationship with God. However, you will also find those who invited troubled times.

The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimi according to their families. And the sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hembron, and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred and thirty-three. The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their generations. Exodus 6:17-19(NKJV)

Here is a prime example of turbulence. From this family tree comes a child whose turbulent times would be mention as significant. Though there was no law of Moses at the time this happened, eventually there would be a law against incest for incest causes genetic flaws to occur in families.

Now Amram took for himself Jochebed, his father’s sister, as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were one hundred and thirty-seven. The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nempheg, and Zichri. And the sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Zithri.

Aaron took to himself Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Nahshon, as wife; and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Elemazar, and Ithamar. And the sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph.

These are the families of the Korahites. Elemazar, Aaron’s son, took for himself one of the daughters of Putiel as wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Lemvites according to their families. Exodus 6:20-25(NKJV)

Aram took his father’s sister as a wife. This practice would later be written into their law as wrong. Wrong because the taking of a close relative causes changes in the genetic code and leads to defect.

Where the older men lived into their in hundred thirties, the life span shorted after these families. Amram who lived to be one hundred thirty seven was the father of Moses who would only live to see 120 and from this point in history all men started to die younger.

All these mention above were generals, the heads of families very large; so large they were as armies. Yet though they were great in numbers, they needed the Lord to deliver them from their turbulent times and God rose up one man Moses; to be helped by his cousin Aaron, to be their deliverer.

These are the same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.” These are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are the same Moses and Aaron. Exodus 6:26-27(NKJV)

It was very important to record the genealogy leading up to this great leader of the Children of Israel. Moses was from the bloodline of the Israelites; he was not Egyptian. Therefore, he could be counted worthy of his position and this genealogy put an end to any dispute.

Many people seek to find their gemological roots. It is a fun venture and your ancestry will tell the story of why you are the way you are.

The environment your ancestors were were exposed to, the spiritual life they lived, and the food they ate, all make up the genetic code that is you.

Men and women have influence that leaches through generations. Therefore, we must think of ourselves as able to influence future generations.

Kind David wrote, The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Psalms 90:10(NKJV)

We must focus everyday on living right, seeking God, and training up our children to honor God with their hearts, bodies, and minds. When they do, they will help continue to build the kingdom of God.

Evangelism is Speaking for God.

Evangelism is Speaking for God. Exodus 5:22 – 6:13.

So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.” Exodus 5:22-23(NKJV)

Rejection was a terribly hard thing for Moses to understand; instead of making things better, they became worse. Instead of delivering the people, Moses caused them hardships.

The Apostle James taught Christians to count all your trials as joy; for in trials a person learns patience. Patience on the Lord, patience with others, and patience in troubled times. Do you need patience?

It was a terrible day when Pharaoh told the Israelites they would have to gather their own straw for bricks; it scattered them to gather any stubble they could find. Not only did they have to gather their own straw, they had to keep up their daily quota of bricks.

Each brick was counted and laid brick upon brick as they built the treasure cities of the Pharaoh and they watched as all of his treasures were moved into the cities as each section was finished.

The Pharaoh was rich, now he wanted to punish the people who did the work. The bottom line is that Moses was to blame and the elders spoke harshly to him.

Moses promised their release, but did not deliver. Retreating to God, Moses asked “Why God; why did this happen?” Is that not the question we all ask when trials come our way or things do not go as we planned?

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them. I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Exodus 6:1-5(NKJV)

It would be interesting to know if the Lord was stern with Moses unbelief. Did God shout “I am the LORD” to wake Moses up?

When you think about unbelief, it is natural to hold tight to it when we murmur about the trials that come our way.

Jesus told us He would never leave us or forsake us and therefore, our trials are allowed by God for our own good. If we could look at them correctly we would rejoice that God has allowed us to experience the trails and the sting that sin has brought.

With trials we share in the pain of Christ on the cross. In heaven we will be partakers with Christ in the deliverance of others and we will forever respect what sin did to our lives.

The children of Israel knew only prosperity up to the time that Pharaoh enslaved them. Understanding how trials fit into their lives, with a God who cares for them, was all new to them. Israel needed to know their God and God was introducing Himself in their trials.

Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.’” Exodus 6:6-9(NKJV)

Moses was going to have to face an angry nation; however, God intended to increase the trials so they may see God, their deliverer. God wanted them to know Him as the only true God and would settle for nothing short of faith with reverence, even in the face of trials.

God promised great miracles, judgments, and deliverance; it was up to the people to accept it or be judged with the Egyptians. God accepts our disbelief; however, God will not tolerate our disrespect.

So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the children of Israel go out of his land.” And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, “The children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” Exodus 5:10-12(NKJV)

To Moses it felt like he was a man against both nations. His own relatives hated the hardships he brought upon his people and Pharaoh hated that Moses stirred up the controversial trouble. Moses was an island in a sea of chaos.

“They won’t listen to me.” The key here is that Moses wanted to be heard; however, Moses was just a messenger. Yes, Pharaoh did not want to hear a word from Moses. The people did not want to hear a word from Moses. Yet, God knew that they would listen if Moses became the voice of God.

Often times this is where evangelism turns upside down. Good hearted people set out to tell others about salvation. They ask others to commit their lives to join them in being a Christian; however, people only see and hear the words from the evangelist.

People distrust other people. There have been scams, fraud, lies, hypocrisies, and they have seen others sucked up into cultic gimmicks. Why should they listen to this person telling them they should come to a church and become one with them?

Evangelists need to simplify their role. Don’t worry about how to get the person you speak to, to come to your church. Do not worry about getting them to say a prayer with you. Yet do labor to become the voice of God to them.

Every evangelist should first have their own life in communication with God first. Prayer, bible study, praise, and worship, getting to know God more; will lead to conversations with others about what God says.

Evangelism happens when a person speaks for God. When they speak, the right words will be on their lips and they will penetrate to the innermost needs of the person they speak to without even knowing it. God will have control of the evangelist and the person listening will feel as if they are hearing from God.

Moses and Aaron only needed to become the voice of God; letting God put on their hearts what they should say and do. Then when they do this, the power of God would be with them.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command for the children of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 6:13(NKJV)

God was issuing ultimatums to both the Children of Israel and the Pharaoh. God’s words were to be spoken in behalf of God. Moses was to leave out his own words, feelings, and commentary, only to deliver the sharp spoken ultimatum of God. “Let my people go!”

Who is the Lord that I should acknowledge Him?

Who is the Lord
that I should acknowledge Him? Exodus 5:1-21.

Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’” Exodus 5:1(NKJV)

Through the desert in the hot heat, trying not to be recognized, Moses and Aaron traveled to the palace of the Pharaoh. It had been forty years since the Pharaoh issued the decree to hunt and kill Moses; however, so much time had passed even his pursuers were now dead. Though Pharaoh long forgot about Moses, Moses had returned.

Moses and Aaron came representing the whole population of Israelites. He had talked with the elders and came with their blessings. Everyone was expecting good results; however, God told Moses that he would not be well received.

Moses worried what to say and how would they introduce Pharaoh to a God he had never heard of. So they told Pharaoh “the Lord God” had spoken. The words meant “the existing one” the God who is the judge, rules the world, and is the true God.

There is no need for further explanations of who God is, for every person in the world can see that there is an intelligent design to this vast universe. Every person knows there is a deity greater than our knowledge and He is the reason for our existence.

You may ask, “What about those who call themselves Atheists? A person who has explained away the existence of God did so after they hardened their heart towards the concept of God. A heard heart is tough to break and in the Pharaohs’ case his heart was about to be hardened too.

And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.” So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” Exodus 5:2-3(NKJV)

This question on Pharaoh’s lips is on the lips of the scientific community as a whole. “Who is this God who rules the universe?” How come I can’t see Him?” and when the answers do not provide enough evidence, with their heart they say, “I do not know Him.”

Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!” Exodus 5:4(NKJV)

Pharaoh hardened his heart. It was his choice. He chose to continue the work rather than find the God that has made Himself known. Like with any hard heart, to soften the heart to accept God, would take great trials.

So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.” Exodus 5:5-9(NKJV)

Pharaoh had something to prove. He was faced with the possibility that there was another God to worship. Egyptians worshiped many Gods and had beliefs surrounding the afterlife. Therefore, Pharaoh set out to disprove this God that Moses and Aaron talked about.

Pharaoh increased their labor and placed hardships on the Israelite people. It was an angry gesture to discredit Moses and Aaron. Yet inside, Pharaoh set out to prove that there was no God.

And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I will not give you straw. Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’” Exodus 5:10-11(NKJV)

The Egyptians worked side by side with the Israelites. They brought in the straw and the Israelites did the work of making the brick to the build the cities. It is feasible to contend that the Israelites educated the Egyptians and possible that their building ability contributed to the building of the great pyramids.

This order by Pharaoh was going to cut into that relationship and create hardships that would even hurt the Egyptian people.

So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw.” Exodus 5:12-13(NKJV)

Disorder had come to Egypt. People were forced to scatter out to find materials for the brick. Having to maintain their quota, Israelites worked in fear of their task masters who were willing to execute judgment on those who failed.

There was fear within the Egyptians also. They would have to sacrifice their working relationships with the people and the stories of a great God worried them, knowing this treatment of the Israelites could bring judgment on them. The Egyptian people were caught between two great forces and who to obey was being questioned.

Also the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before?” Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make brick!’ And indeed your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people.” Exodus 5:13-16(NKJV)

Violence, hardship, and tears accompanied every person who worked to build the treasure cities. Emotions ran strong in task masters and laborers. It was the worst condition in all ready tough times.

Within the Israelite communities, there was structure; leaders, family advocates, and those who followed them. These leaders had access to the Pharaoh and upon approaching him they flexed their strength in a warning, accusing the Pharaoh of creating the situation by his own leadership.

This was the Pharaoh’s worst nightmare. Should the Israelites turn on the Egyptians, it might cause a war and a possible civil war amongst the Egyptian people.

But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ Therefore go now and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks.” And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota.” Exodus 5:17-19(NKJV)

Often our perceptions of situations are bigger than they really are. The Israelite leaders had no idea that Pharaoh was truly worried and they viewed themselves as to small and weak to do anything about it. They were counting themselves failures and their perceptions of God was too small.

Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. And they said to them, “Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” Exodus 5:20-21(NKJV)

Fear is faithlessness; these Israelites leaders needed to learn to trust in God. They complained instead of prayed. The blamed others instead of looking inside their own hearts.

Though they acknowledge the Lord it was in a judging way as they wished judgment onto Moses and Aaron. These people needed to go through the trials they were in, so they would learn how powerful their God truly is.

Obedience V. Disobedience.

Obedience V. Disobedience. Exodus 4:24-31.

And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him. Exodus 4:24(NKJV)

Moses was told by God to go to the Egyptian Pharaoh and demand that the Children of Israel be released from their bondage so they may return to the land that God had given to them.

The famine that caused them to go to Egypt was long over and the families from the twelve sons of Israel had grown to great numbers; so great the Pharaoh looked upon them as a threat and enslaved them to build his treasure cities.

Their life was full of hard labor and the Egyptian task masters were relentless. Even their newborn male children were thrown into the river to stop the Israelite population growth, to keep them manageable; a labor force to serve the Pharaoh.

However, God heard their cries and the time came for their delivery; so God called Moses to lead them.

No sooner did Moses pack up his family and head towards the Egyptian area called Midian, God stood in his way and sought to kill him. The problem was that Moses neglected to keep the covenant with God to circumcise his child.

Circumcision was first requested of Abraham when God wanted a covenant with His people. Each male in Israel was to be circumcised so that they may remember that God requires their obedience. It was a lesson that all would remember; except Moses.

It is doubtful that God desired to kill Moses; however, God would not have a messenger, who would lead His people, to be ignorant of a covenant with God. Neither would God allow his wife to ignore her husband’s priorities.

So we learn from this passage that when God shows us an area of our lives we must keep holy, given to God, let us speedily strive to fix a problem, so we might not displease our God.

Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision. Exodus 4:25-26(NKJV)

Evidently, Zipporah was ignorant of the importance of Holiness and Moses was not managing his spiritual life in a way that God approved. Moses was called to lead God’s people and the lessons to make him that leader God was going to enforce.

There is no reason that we should learn by trial and error today. We have God’s word; therefore our lives, our ministries, and all of our paths of righteousness are clearly set out for us in the scriptures.

Every Christian is to read God’s word, allowing God to show them wrongs within their life to change. We must abide by changing them before we displease God and He must meet us in our way.

It is a feasible question to ask, “How long does God have to stand in your way before you will conform your life to His ways?”

People struggle with addictions, inordinate attractions, and they dabble with the obsessions of sinners. Missing the mark of the high calling of God, they try to march forward in their lives only to feel like they have not traveled at all.

People allow themselves to go back to the beginning of their faith to start over, because they failed to take God word into their life for change. When they should be growing strong and eating the meat from the word of God, they are feeding on milk like overgrown babies.

To those who remain spiritually blind and acting as if there is no need to conform to God’s holiness we ask, “Will an angry God meet you in the way?”

And the LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. Exodus 4:27-28(NKJV)

Aaron was obviously a good choice. He was a man who listens to God and was obedient to God’s voice.

Upon the revelation from God that Moses was coming, Aaron went and met him. This is just the beginning of life coming together for the now obedient Moses.

Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped. Exodus 4:29-31(NKJV)

Moses’ ministry was officially started. Because he was obedient to God, Moses had all the support he needed falling into place.

Oh how hard life and ministry can be if we first do not follow God and His directions for our life. Yet, people go to church and never return to God’s word during their week. They try to take one small meal and survive all week on its spiritual nutrients.

Knowing God is Gods daily requirement for all His’ children and to be healthy and able to conduct ourselves on His behalf we must read God’s word daily.

The elders of the families of Jacob heard God’s word through Moses and worshiped God and the best form of worship is to be obedient to God’s word.

God wanted to do great work in their lives; yet to do that work, faithfulness came first.

Obedience V. Disobedience. Exodus 4:24-31.

And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him. Exodus 4:24(NKJV)

Moses was told by God to go to the Egyptian Pharaoh and demand that the Children of Israel be released from their bondage so they may return to the land that God had given to them.

The famine that caused them to go to Egypt was long over and the families from the twelve sons of Israel had grown to great numbers; so great the Pharaoh looked upon them as a threat and enslaved them to build his treasure cities.

Their life was full of hard labor and the Egyptian task masters were relentless. Even their newborn male children were thrown into the river to stop the Israelite population growth, to keep them manageable; a labor force to serve the Pharaoh.

However, God heard their cries and the time came for their delivery; so God called Moses to lead them.

No sooner did Moses pack up his family and head towards the Egyptian area called Midian, God stood in his way and sought to kill him. The problem was that Moses neglected to keep the covenant with God to circumcise his child.

Circumcision was first requested of Abraham when God wanted a covenant with His people. Each male in Israel was to be circumcised so that they may remember that God requires their obedience. It was a lesson that all would remember; except Moses.

It is doubtful that God desired to kill Moses; however, God would not have a messenger, who would lead His people, to be ignorant of a covenant with God. Neither would God allow his wife to ignore her husband’s priorities.

So we learn from this passage that when God shows us an area of our lives we must keep holy, given to God, let us speedily strive to fix a problem, so we might not displease our God.

Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.  Exodus 4:25-26(NKJV)

Evidently, Zipporah was ignorant of the importance of Holiness and Moses was not managing his spiritual life in a way that God approved. Moses was called to lead God’s people and the lessons to make him that leader God was going to enforce.

There is no reason that we should learn by trial and error today. We have God’s word; therefore our lives, our ministries, and all of our paths of righteousness are clearly set out for us in the scriptures.

Every Christian is to read God’s word, allowing God to show them wrongs within their life to change. We must abide by changing them before we displease God and He must meet us in our way.

It is a feasible question to ask, “How long does God have to stand in your way before you will conform your life to His ways?”

People struggle with addictions, inordinate attractions, and they dabble with the obsessions of sinners. Missing the mark of the high calling of God, they try to march forward in their lives only to feel like they have not traveled at all.

People allow themselves to go back to the beginning of their faith to start over, because they failed to take God word into their life for change. When they should be growing strong and eating the meat from the word of God, they are feeding on milk like overgrown babies.

To those who remain spiritually blind and acting as if there is no need to conform to God’s holiness we ask, “Will an angry God meet you in the way?”

And the LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. Exodus 4:27-28(NKJV)

Aaron was obviously a good choice. He was a man who listens to God and was obedient to God’s voice.

Upon the revelation from God that Moses was coming, Aaron went and met him.  This is just the beginning of life coming together for the now obedient Moses.

Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped. Exodus 4:29-31(NKJV)

Moses’ ministry was officially started. Because he was obedient to God, Moses had all the support he needed falling into place.

Oh how hard life and ministry can be if we first do not follow God and His directions for our life. Yet, people go to church and never return to God’s word during their week. They try to take one small meal and survive all week on its spiritual nutrients.

Knowing God is Gods daily requirement for all His’ children and to be healthy and able to conduct ourselves on His behalf we must read God’s word daily.

The elders of the families of Jacob heard God’s word through Moses and worshiped God and the best form of worship is to be obedient to God’s word.

God wanted to do great work in their lives; yet to do that work, faithfulness came first.

Speaking Up for God.

Speaking Up for God. Exodus 4:10-17.

Are you one who does not share the gospel with others because you feel as if you would not say the right thing or not know what to say? You are not alone; Christians everywhere ignore the great commission to tell others about forgiveness of sin. However, have you ever considered it angers God?

Moses was called to represent God before the Pharaoh. Moses was to speak God’s words and tell Pharaoh to let the Israelite slaves go. However, Moses felt that he could not speak and be taken serious by the Pharaoh.

Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Exodus 4:10(NKJV)

Moses claimed to be having poor speech. Yet his problem ran deeper than his speech. Moses grew up as the adopted son of the pharaoh’s daughter. Moses was privileged to see the inside of the king’s palace and privileged to know what went on in there.

To Moses the Pharaoh was larger than life and brutal to the core. Moses had insecurities about facing such a giant of a man and Moses feared for his life.

So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” Exodus 4:11-13(NKJV)

The voice of the Lord became stern and challenging. If God is our creator did he make a mistake by creating us the way we are and then calling on us to speak to others? This is an excellent point and still Moses cowered.

Think about who Moses was facing. He was facing the one and only God. The maker of the Universe, the very one who held life in His hand.

With one spoken word God could wipe the earth clean, avenge any person, and was capable of far more aggression that Pharaoh could ever have. Moses was refusing God instead of trusting in Him.

So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.” Exodus 4:14-17(NKJV)

How gracious was God towards Moses; however, Moses angered God. How gracious has He been towards us and do we anger Him also?

As a young Christian, my friends and I attended a Billy Graham crusade in Anaheim. We sat behind the stage and peered out to the crowd as Billy Graham gave his sermon.

He spoke with such eloquence and had such great command. The crowd, 55,000 strong, listened to every word and Mr. Graham spoke to them as if he was talking to each and every person individually.

“This guy has ice in his veins.” I thought to myself and then I told my self, “I could never speak to this many people.” Then, like getting thumped in my chest, I felt the anger of the Lord towards my statement. “You never, say that!” “Never tell me that you cannot do what I have called you to do.”

This voice of the Lord was not audible, but the conversation with my heart was real. “You will speak to more people than Billy Graham.” God said.

I was dumb founded and felt reproved. The rest of the night I could not concentrate on the message and as my friends and I left the stadium, I walked to the parking lot knowing that I upset God.

Suddenly, a man called out to me. “Hey would you talk with us for a moment?” I turned to the voice to see a man with a camera and a man holding a microphone.

The blinding light above the camera caused me to be startled as the man asked, “What brought you here to this stadium tonight?”

I pondered the question and rifled back my answer, “The Holy Spirit.” “No, no, what about Billy Graham made you come here tonight.” Then I understood what the man wanted to hear so I told Him.

“I came to see a modern day Apostle like Paul. I want to learn how to talk to others, like Billy Graham does, so that I can ask them questions like, do you know if you died tonight you would go to heaven?”

As I said those words I pointed to the man and I saw his face freeze. He was without words and yet the question was so compelling he felt that he needed to answer. He fumbled to gain his composure and then turned to the guy next to me and asked him the same question.

Turning the camera off, the man with the mike just stared at me. He was convicted in his’ heart and that night he was called by God.

Walking to our car, I said to my friend, “What TV station do you think that was?” “I don’t know my friend answered. So I turned back to ask the man and he told me CNN.

When I heard his response, the voice of God spoke to me again saying, “Never say never; tonight you spoke to more people than Billy Graham did.”

I learned my lesson that night and will remember it for the rest of my life. However, I still get scared going before an audience. Be it big or small, I tremble.

Moses was graciously allowed to take Aaron with him. Moses would relay the message of God to Aaron and Aaron would speak while Moses showed the signs.

God is patient with all of us. It is important though to work through our difficulties and continue to speak in behalf of God like He told us.

We are to go to the entire world and preach the gospel; teaching people to know God and to be baptized according to His instructions.

Salvation has come to earth and God wants to make it known. Will you answer His call?